The Late Show

The Book

When the Wall came down, members of the last generation of directors founded the new artistic production group "DaDaeR" at the DEFA Studio for Feature Films. This fulfilled a long-standing demand for freer work opportunities from the youngest generation. With a small budget, the group produced three remarkable films before the studio was closed in 1992. Using case studies, the author examines films and biographies of film artists who, despite best qualification, creative ideas for new aesthetic approaches and a willingness to participate in socio-political discussions in the GDR through film, were largely "unwanted" in the studio.

The analysis of the partly unknown films from the years 1989-92 by Jörg Foth,  Herwig Kipping, Peter Welz,  Helke Misselwitz,  Andreas Voigt and  Peter Kahane in the context of their time of creation and production histories is supplemented by a look at the earlier works including the directors' university films. This comprehensive approach broadens the understanding of the so-called "Wendefilme" by showing the thematic and stylistic diversity in the manuscripts of the youngest generation beyond the historical upheaval of 1989.

Samples (in German):

•  Table of contents (23 KB)
•  Introduction (193 KB)

The Author

The author works in the fields of humanities, German studies and film studies at the Eastman School of Music, University Rochester/New York. Her research interests include avant-garde films, German films, especially the DEFA film. She has published numerous articles and book essays.